Noguera



4 5 J. NOGUERA 2,686,938

DRAFTING APPARATUS FOR TEXTILE FIBERS Filed Jan. 23, 1950 3 SheetsSheetl 7\ 7/ 7 7/ 1/ 1242 f: X E45 27w I 1) L J Z W: 72 Z Ila,

Aug. 24, 1954 J. NOGUERA DRAFTING APPARATUS FOR TEXTILE FIBERS 3Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 23, 1950 Aug. 24, 1954 .1. NOGUERA DRAFTINGAPPARATUS FOR TEXTILE-FIBERS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Jan. 23, 1950INVEA'I'OZ V Jame-l w s 1:

Patented Aug. 24, 1954 DRAFTIN G APPARATUS FOR TEXTILE FEBERS JosephNoguera, Salford, England, assignor to Casablancas High Draft CompanyLimited, Lancaster, England, a British company Application January 23,1950, Serial No. 139,999

Claims priority, application Great Britain February 2, 1949 13 Claims.

This invention relates to drafting apparatus for textile fibres of thekind in which the fibres are caused to pass between and are controlledby adjacent runs of two endless belts or bands, arranged to formelongated loops and superposed one above the other, the loops beingsupported. at their rear ends by rollers which interact to form apositive nip between the said adjacent runs and which are arranged todrive the loops in the direction of feed of the fibres, and the loopsbeing supported at their forward or front ends by means of a tensorcarried by a cradle, the tensor being arranged to form a delivery nipbetween the runs which is located very close to a further positive nipformed between a following pair of drafting rollers. The term positivenip as used herein means a hip which exerts a substantially non-yieldinggrip on the fibres as opposed to the soft yielding grip of the deliverynip between the endless belts. The foregoing arrangement is inaccordance with the standard two-belt apparatus used in the well knownCasablancas Drafting System.

With this apparatus however, the maximum length of the fibre-controllingbelt runs must, of necessity, be limited owing mainly to the fact thatthe said runs are, in efiect, propelled forward towards the tensor fromthe rear by the driving rollers and therefore, if the belt runs are toolong, they will tend to deform and cease to exercise proper fibrecontrol. The length of these belt runs depends upon the distance apartof the two positive nips as aforesaid which are formed respectivelybetween the belt-supporting rollers and the succeeding drawing rollers,the positive nip between the succeeding drawing rollers having in anycase to be close to the delivery nip of the belts because, if thisdistance greatly exceeds the length of the shortest fibres being drawn,the control exercised on these fibres again will not be satisfactory. Aswill be realised however, in order to obtain the advantages of theendless belt system of drafting, the two positive nips immediatelyreceding and immediately succeeding the delivery nip must be at adistance apart at least a little greater than the length of the longestfibres being drawnsince otherwise such fibres will be positively grippedat each end during the drawing operation and the soft yielding deliverycontrol exercised by the belts will be largely ineffective as far as thefibres so gripped are concerned. It should be pointed out that one wayof reducing the risk of the fibre-controlling belt runs undulating orbecoming unsteady when they are longer than normal is to mount themrelatively taut. This, however,

is unsatisfactory from the point of view of drafting efii'ciency becausethe action of the two belts upon the fibre becomes proportionatelyharsher the tighter the belts are, the degree of fibre retentionexercised by the tight belts, furthermore, varying easily from too muchto too little.

For the foregoing reasons, the length of the fibre-controlling belt runswhich has been adopted in the standard Casablancas apparatus is suchthat the distance between the positive nip formed by the belt-supportingrollers and the positive nip formed by the succeeding drawing rollers isonly some 1%". This permits the very satisfactory drafting of fibressuch as cotton, with lengths ranging up to a maximum of about 1%.

A main object of the present invention is to provide a generallyimproved drafting apparatus of the kind specified which is capable ofdealing satisfactorily with a much wider range of fibre lengths than hasbeen possible heretofore in any one apparatus.

According to the present invention, in a drafting apparatus of the kindspecified, there is provided means, including at least one platformmember, for supporting the fibre-controlling belt runs and fordetermining the distance apart of the positive nips which respectivelyimmediately precede and immediately succeed the delivery nip, said meansbeing carried on the cradle and being arranged to act 011 the imiersurface of the lower fibre-controlling belt run to provide said supportand to determine said distance. This arrangement permits the use ofbelts, the fibre-controlling runs of which are considerably longer thanthose normally used whilst the distance apart of the positive nipsimmediately preceding and immediately succeeding the delivery nip of thebelts can be varied according to the maximum length of the fibres beingdrawn.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood and readilycarried into effect several embodiments thereof will now be described indetail with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a part-sectional side elevation illustrating the relevantportions of a drafting apparatus and showing one embodiment of the meansaccording to the invention in the operative position,

Figure 2 is a sectional side elevation of the means shown in Figure 1,parts of the co-operating belts being inserted in chain-dotted lines.

Figure 3 is a front elevation according to Figure 2,

Figures 4 and 5, 6 and '7, and 8 and 9, are views respectively similarto Figures 2 and 3 but each showing differently shaped means whereby thedistance apart of positive nips can be varied,

Figure is a view similar to Figure 1 illustrating an alternativeembodiment of the means according to the invention,

Figure 11 is a plan view of the cradle and means shown in Figure 10,

Figure 12 is a section on the line XII-XII of Figure 10, the belts anddriving rollers being omitted,

Figure 13 is a view similar to Figure 1 but showing yet anotheralternative embodiment of the means according to the invention,

Figure 14 is a section on the line XIVXT.V of Figure 13, the belts anddriving rollers being omitted, and

Figure 15 is a detail perspective view of the means shown in Figures 13and 14.

Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to Figures 1 to 9,a pair of co-operating elongated endless belts l, 2 are mounted at theirrear ends on co-operating driving rollers 3 and are held in the correctworking position at their forward ends by means of a two-pronged tensor4, the belts forming a delivery nip between the prongs of this tensor.The tensor d is carried on a cradle consisting mainly of a pair ofparallel side walls 5 which extend one along each side of the belts l, 2and each of which is shaped at the rear end as shown to engage thespindles of the driving rollers 3. Approximately centrally, and towardstheir lower edges, the side walls 5 are joined by a cross-member 6. Atthe entry end of the adjacent runs of the belts i and 2 between whichthe fibres pass there is arranged, in known manner, a condenser Imounted on a traverse bar 8, and at the opposite or delivery end ofthese runs there is arranged, again in known manner, a pair of followingdrawing rollers 9 which form a positive nip therebetween. Thearrangement of the driving rollers 3 is such that a positive nip is alsocreated thereby between the belt runs at the entry end of the latter.

In this example, the centre distance between the belt-supporting rollers3 and the following drawing rollers 9 is some 3%" which is considerablylarger than normal, the overall length of the cradle and the length ofthe fibre-supporting belt runs being correspondingly increased. Anelongated slot I0 is formed in each side wall 5 of the cradle, the slotsopening into the upper edges of these side walls and being positionedopposite to one another. The dimensions of the slots are such thatupstanding side lugs H, formed one at each end of a downturned flangeIla provided along the leading edge of a platform member l2, can beentered therein so that the said platform member i2 is supported betweenthe side walls 5 of the cradle immediately below the fibre-controllingrun of the lower belt 2 as shown. To withdraw the platform member l2from the cradle it is necessary merely to raise the platform relativelyto the side walls 5 until the lugs ll are clear of the slots In.

A pluralit of such platforms I2, [2a, 12b and l2c are preferablyprovided as shown in Figures 2 to 9, each being of different shapedepending upon the fibre lengths with which it is to be used. Each ofthe platforms is provided with a flange Ha and upstanding side lugs ll.As can be seen from Figures 1 and 2, platform i2 is shaped to extendsubstantially parallel to the belt runs when in position and serves asan intermediate support for these runs to prevent deformation thereofand to ensure proper fibre control. When the platform I2 is in use, thedistance apart of the positive nips which immediately precedeandimmediately succeed the aforesaid delivery nip is substantially equal tothe centre distance between the belt-supporting rollers 3 and thesucceeding drawing rollers 9, in this case some 3 as aforesaid. Theother platform members I241, l2?) and H20 are respectively bent alonglines it, i3a and i327 which are each parallel to the flange Ha of theplatform. The distance between the line of bend and the flange Ma isdifierent for each platform and so arranged that, when any one of thebent platform members 12a, 121) or E20 is in position in the cradle, thefibre-controlling belt runs are both supported and sharply deflected inthe upward direction along the line of bend of the platform. Anintermediate positive nip is thus introduced into the length of theco-operating belt runs which immediately precedes the delivery n-ip andis closer thereto, and therefore also to the succeeding positive nip,than is the nip formed between the driving rollers 3. A different numberof notches M are provided in the flange Ha of each platform so that thevarious platforms can easily be differentiated one from the other andcan therefore be quickly selected and inserted as required.

In the particular apparatus described in the foregoing, fibres up to 3"in length can be drafted successfully merely by interchanging theplatform members as required, thesupporting plat.- form shown in Figures1, 2 and 3 being: utilized when the longest fibres are being drafted sothat the distance between positive nips immediately preceding andimmediately succeeding the delivery nip is a maximum, and any one ofvthe supporting and deflecting platforms shown in Figures 4 to 9 beingutilized to bring the positive nip which immediately precedes thedelivery nip closer-to thesaid delivery nip and the succeeding positivenip when it is desired todraft the shorter fibres. The actual distancebetween the hips immediately preceding and immediately succeeding thedelivery nip, will, of course, depend upon the particular deflectingplatform used so that this distance can be varied to provide optimumdrawing conditions for various fibre lengths.

In the modified arrangement shown in Figures 10 to 12 theinterchangeable platforms are replaced by a fixed platform I5 havingdownturned ends 15a formed with side projections [5b which are enteredthrough slots formed to receive them in. the cradle walls 5 and havetheir projecting ends burred over in. the manner of rivets. In thisarrangement therefore the crossbar 6 is omitted since the cradle wallsare held together by the aforesaid platform [5. Two spaced substantiallytriangular apertures 16 are provided in each cradle wall 5 so. that thebase of each aperture is substantially level with the top of theplatform 15, and substantially triangular notches I! are provided in theplatform top opposite each of the aforesaid apertures I 6. A transversemember l8, of substantially triangular cross-section, with one tapered:end i811 and a handle 18b at the other'end, is provided for insertion,when desired, through a pair of opposite apertures IS in the side wallsfiof the cradle as shown in Fig-ures l1 and 12, the base of. the memberl8 being arranged to bear" on the platform top and the upper edge of themember being arranged to bear. against the under-surface of the lowerfibre-controlling belt run. The provision of the notches I'l facilitatesthe initial entry of the tapered end 18a of member 18 between theaforesaid platform and belt run.

In use, during the drafting of the longest fibres,

the fixed platform it provides a support for the belt runs and thedistance apart of the positive nips immediately preceding andimmediately succeeding the delivery nip corresponds with the centredistance between the roller pairs 3 and 9. When it is desired to draftshorter fibres, the member 18 can be inserted on top of the platformthrough either pair of apertures 16 and under the lower belt run tobring the positive nip im-,

mediately preceding the delivery nip closer to provided on the lower endof each lug 2i and each arm member 23 is arranged to project through anaperture 24 in the adjacent cradle Wall 5. The parts of the arms 23which extend through the apertures 24 are formed partially with a narrowor neck portion 23a and partially witha wider portion 23b. The slots 24are each provided along the upper and lower edges with notches as at 2tand the widened portion 23b of each arm is normally engaged in one ofthese notches in the appropriate slot. The platform is made ofsufficiently thin material to allow a certain amount of spring actionand, in order to effect adjustment, the arms 23 are pressed towards eachother until the narrowed portions 23a are located within the slots 24.In this position the arms can be moved along the slots in eitherdirection to tilt the platform one way or the other as shown inchain-dotted lines in Figure 13. When the pressure on the arms 23 isrel-eased the lugs 2i spring outwards again and the portions 23b of thearms re-engage in the nearest notches25 and thereby hold the platform inthe adjusted position. The position of the platform will, of course, bevaried according to the required distance apart of the positive nipsimmediately preceding and immediately succeeding the delivery nip asexplained in connection with the first two embodiments. The oppositenarrow edgc portionsof the platform 20 comprises the means for impartingthe positive nip to the belts when either of these edge portions isbrought into the extreme positions shown in Figure 13 of the drawings.

I claim: I i

1. In a drafting apparatus for textile fibres, the combination of a pairof superposed endless belts in elongated loop form and having adjacentoperative runs for controlling fibres caused to pass therebetween, apair of driving rollers each supporting one belt loop at the rear end ofthe latter and forming a substantially non-yielding positive inlet nipbetween the rear ends of said operative belt runs, tensor meanssupporting the forward ends of said belt loops and forming a yieldingdelivery nip between the leading ends of said operative belt runs, twoparallel wall memhere) arranged one on each side of said belt loops forlaterally guiding the latter and a transverse platform member whichrigidly couples said side wall members together and constituting thesole coupling means between said wall members, said platform memberbeing located in its entirety between the runs of the lower belt loopand having a plane upper surface capable of supporting the saidoperative belt runs and spaced from said tensor means. I i

2. The combination as claimed in claim ,1 further including a removabletransverse member shaped for positioning between said platform memberand the under-surface of the lower fibrecontrolling belt run so as todeflect said fibre-.

controlling runs and thereby introduce a positive nip which immediatelyprecedes said delivery nip and is closer to the said delivery nip thanis said positive nip between the said driving rollers. 3. Drafting meansfor use in a drafting apparatus for textile fibres, said meanscomprising a pair. of superposed endless belts in elongated loop formand having co-operating fibre-controlling runs, a pair of feedingrollers each supporting one loop at the rear end of the latter andforming a positive inlet nip between the rear.

allel side wall members arranged one on each side of said belt loops toprovide a cradle for laterally guiding the latter, said wall memberseach being shaped at the rear end partially to embrace the spindle ofeach said feeding roller,

and a transverse platform member which rigidly couples said side wallmembers together and constitutes the sole coupling means between saidwall members, said platform member being located between the runs ofthelower belt loop and having a fiat upper surface which is arranged tosupport the said fibre-controlling belt runs without substantiallydeflecting the latter.

4. In a drafting apparatus for textile fibres; the combination of a pairof superposed endless belts in elongated loop form and having adjacentoperative runs for controlling fibres caused to pass therebetween, apair of driving rollers each supporting one belt loop at the rear end ofthe latter and forming a substantially non-yielding positive inlet nipbetween the rear ends of said operative belt runs, tensor meanssupporting the forward ends of said belt loops and forming a yieldingdelivery nip between the leading ends of said operative belt runs, twoparallel wall members arranged one on each side of said belt loops forlaterally guiding the latter and a continuous platform extendingtransversely of said belts 1 from one wall member to the other wallmember which rigidly couples the wall members together and constitutingthe sole coupling means between said wall members, said platform memberbeing separate from said tensor means and being disposed intermediatesaid driving rollers and said tensor means and being disposed in itsentirety between the runs of the lower belt loop and having a planeupper surface capable of supporting the entire width of the operativeruns of the belts throughout the length of the platform member.

5. In a drafting apparatus for textile fibres, the. combination of apair of superposed endless run of the lower belt to impart thenon-positive nip to the belts and each of the other platforms having atransversely extending bent portion at a location different from that ofeach of the said other platforms to impart the second positive nip atdifferent locations longitudinally of the belts.

13. A guiding device as claimed in claim 9 wherein said supporting meanscomprises a platform having an elongated flat surface provided withnarrow edge portions, said platform being pivotally mounted 'on saidwalls, and means on said walls and platform for detachably holding saidplatform in various positions, whereby said platform surface and edgeportions are caused to selectively engage the upper run of the lowerbelt 15 References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATESPATENTS Number Name Date 1,092,631 Casablanca-s Apr. '7, 1914 1,240,670Casablancas Sept. 18, 1917 2,094,229 Casablancas Sept. 28, 19372,175,107 Casablancas Oct. 3, 1939 2,239,863 Schlipp Apr, 29, 19412,306,848 Toenniessen Dec. 29, 1942

